News

A new version of TVPaint Animation is available and fixes important bugs, especially on Macs, such as the lag in wide screen mode and the inability to open .tvpp files with a double click. TVPaint Developpement strongly recommends users download and apply this update. For more information, follow this topic in TVPaint Developpement forums.

Toon Boom Animation Inc. announced the release of Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 4. After receiving a 2012 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award, Storyboard Pro has leaped forward with a new version that efficiently and elegantly caters to live action, gaming, and animation studios alike. Now in 64 bit, Storyboard Pro 4 offers the ability to draw directly in the software using bitmap drawing tools. In addition to its time-proven vector tools, Storyboard Pro 4 enables users to draw with different styles and textures for full artistic freedom. “Storyboard Pro is considered one of the most innovative technologies and enables studios and professionals to keep pre-production under the same roof, resulting in local job creation” said Joan Vogelesang, president and chief executive officer of Toon Boom.

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 4 highlights:
• Bitmap Drawing Tools allow users to draw with different styles and textures for full artistic freedom.
• 64-bit gives users the freedom to use more of the computer’s resources, and allowing the use of the new bitmap technology.
• Playback Enhancements ensure a smooth playback through panels.
• Sequences allow users to organize projects into four divisions: Acts, Sequences, Scenes, and Panels.
• Integrated 3D Technology enables users to work in a 3D space, import 3D models, and export to FBX.
• Collaboration tools allow multiple users to work on a project simultaneously.

HyperDeck software update 3.7.1 is now available. New in this update: Added additional analog and digital input selections (for HyperDeck Studio Pro), added DNxHD support (HyperDeck Studio Pro), enhanced SSD support (HyperDeck Studio Pro), and fixed 720p Closed Caption issue. This update is now available for download.

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Autodesk announced the new features of the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite 2014. The versatile workflow includes award-winning 3D animation, visual effects and creative tools, Autodesk Maya 2014, Autodesk 3ds Max 2014, Autodesk MotionBuilder 2014, Autodesk Mudbox 2014, Autodesk Softimage 2014 and Autodesk Sketchbook Designer 2014, all which have been updated to offer new workflow enhancements that help artists collaborate, manage complexity and move data through their pipeline more efficiently.

With three configurations, the Suites scale to meet the demands of any sized team, budget or project. The Standard edition includes industry-recognized 3D software and offers a choice of either Autodesk Maya 2014 or Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 with Autodesk MotionBuilder 2014, Autodesk Mudbox 2014 and Autodesk Sketchbook Designer 2014. The Premium edition offers all the software of the Standard Suite, but with the addition of Autodesk Softimage 2014 3D animation and visual effects software. With the Ultimate Suite, customers have access to the value of the Premium edition, with the added benefit of including both Maya 2014 and 3ds Max 2014.

Every tool in the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites offers new ways for artists to efficiently bring more life-like and realistic behaviors to their creations:

Autodesk 3ds Max 2014
Autodesk 3ds Max 2014 offers new solutions to answer today’s modern 3D challenges. The new Populate feature saves artists time and allows them to quickly and easily generate moving or idle crowds with life-like human reactions and activity. Additional updates include: a significantly enhanced and more efficient Particle Flow toolset; and a performance-enhanced viewport that now supports Microsoft DirectX 11 shaders. Perspective Match and Vector Map tools allow artists to extend their creative capabilities by crossing the 2D/3D divide.

Autodesk Maya 2014
Autodesk Maya 2014 helps artists and developers create content to meet the increasing expectations of modern audiences. The 2014 update includes an expanded, integrated modeling feature set; intuitive Grease Pencil; and innovative new Paint Effects features that are designed to improve productivity and enhance creativity. The Maya DX11Shader, working with enhancements to Viewport 2.0, enables artists to work in a high-quality real-time environment that closely matches final output. New Scene Assembly, a File Path Editor, and URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) support tools allows for easier building and managing of large and complex worlds.

Autodesk Softimage 2014
The new Camera Sequencer toolset offers the ability to cut between multiple cameras to edit clips, leaving the original animation data unchanged; directorial control over scenes; improved CrowdFX and ICE (Interactive Creative Environment) features enable artists to use the concept of passes and partitions in any combination with any aspect of ICE; and an improved High-Quality Viewport delivers a higher fidelity interactive experience. Autodesk Softimage 2014 now offers easier integration into existing pipelines through improved support for animation data exchange via the Autodesk FBX 2014 format.

Autodesk MotionBuilder 2014
With Autodesk MotionBuilder 2014, studios can more efficiently manipulate and refine motion capture and other character animation data for use in onset visualization, previsualization, virtual cinematography, feature film production and game development. Linux operating system support is now available, as well as new motion capture workflow options; artist-friendly methods for positioning, measuring and selecting objects; the ability to use custom viewport renderers; and an API (Application Programming Interface) for file referencing.



Autodesk Mudbox 2014
The latest update to Autodesk Mudbox offers single-click automatic and manual options to manipulate meshes or to precisely control various aspects of the output mesh with a user-directed solution. Artists can now concentrate purely on aesthetic considerations as they sculpt, without altering the underlying structure. Enhanced multi-touch workflows now include support for stencils and additional touch-enabled input devices.

Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2014
Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2014 is an intuitive hybrid paint and vector toolset that enables exploration and presentation of new ideas for characters, props and environments. Additional benefits include: sketching, painting and image compositing workflows; easy color manipulation; mixed media workflows and an industry-unique transformation tool. The dynamic, scalable user interface is optimized for both pen and mouse interaction and is designed to offer maximum creative freedom.

Availability
Availability is expected around April 2013.